Review on 👟 ALTRA Men's AL0A4VQL Rivera Road Running Shoe: Lightweight Stability for Ultimate Performance by Anthony Payton

This shoe replaces a very old Nike shoe (FS Lite Run 2) that I've been wearing for far too long. These Nikes had a very snug fit with a solid heel latch which I'm used to. However, my toes had a hole at the top, so I knew it was high time to replace them. with some constant heel pain (the Nikes I was in had a stack height of only 1/2 inch). Rivera definitely fits that description. It was important for me to switch back to zero drop shoes as I tend to land on my midfoot/heel and a positive drop can affect my stride. Basically, I'm moving away from minimalist shoes towards more comfortable ones. From a 3mm drop on Nikes to a 0mm drop on Rivera, as well as a stack height of 0.5" to just over 1". I'll see how this combination works for me; I love the idea of a "flat" shoe with solid cushioning. What I like: - The outer fabric is very comfortable and breathable. - The EGO cushioning feels perfect in terms of support and the arch support also feels perfect. .-Zero Drop as long as I like it - Overall the build quality is very good, they look very crisp, better in person than the pictures, hate to get them dirty. What I don't like: - First off, I don't like (or have a hard time getting used to) how loose the heel is. I tied them with the laces as tightly as possible and my foot still moves in the heel even if the ground I'm walking on gets a little uneven. I think part of the problem is that the overly flexible/slippery fabric of the upper makes it difficult to get a secure grip on the foot, combined with the comically thick tongue and the odd V-shape they cut into the collar. So overall I'd say these are excellent flat road runners if you want zero drop combined with significant cushioning. However, once you drive even a little bit off-road, say flat grass, it becomes more iffy. If you're venturing into something harder than grass and don't like how sloppy your foot feels in the Rivera. I prefer a mix of road, grass and some hilly terrain and those places don't do well in these shoes. However, the chassis is excellent. It's not ideal for my use case, but it's pretty good and laces up very tight, they work well (and my heel feels better). If you're strictly a road runner, you'll love the Rivera as your everyday running shoe (and quite frankly, that's how it's marketed).